Vincenzo Sirna - Leads the Prego culinary team

Sicilian native Vincenzo Sirna brings more than 9 years of experience to the culinary scene. Vincenzo was inspired to have a career in the kitchen by his mother and grandmother – as a little child, he used to observe them as they prepare home cooked meals, especially during Sunday where the whole family, including extended families gather for lunch. There was also a vegetable garden outside his house, where they get the freshest, home-grown ingredients.

Vincenzo climbed the career ladder by working in Italy’s renowned restaurants and hotels. His culinary training begun at a hospitality school in Sicily and his working stint started at a small restaurant in Sirmione del Garda, a small peninsula, part of the Garda Lake in the region of Veneto. Fueled by the love for travel, Vincenzo moved around Italy, and eventually around the world.

Transiting between Italy and France for about 3 years, working for various reputable hotels and award-winning Italian restaurants, he finally moved to Australia in 2010. The curious traveler in him brought him to Asia where he worked since 2012. He was in Singapore and Bangkok before finally making a move to Kuala Lumpur at the end 2014.

At Prego, Vincenzo serves original Italian dishes, emphasizing on the quality and freshness of the produce as well as adding his own personal creative touch to some culinary favourites. His favourite ingredient in the kitchen is eggplants as it is rich in vitamins A, C, calcium, phosphorus and potassium, a great super food to add to a meal.

Diners at Prego can look forward to a new and enhanced menu of exquisite Italian fare, specially curated by Chef Vincenzo himself. Maintaining Prego’s favourite dishes on the menu, he reengineered them with an introduction of new flavours as he is a  firm believer in letting fresh and high quality ingredients speak for themselves. Allow him to bring on a culinary journey as he showcases his best dishes such as Insalata di Gamberi alla Tirrenica (Fresh Prawn Salad with Aromatic Italian Basil), Gnocchi alla Sorrentina Gratinati (Homemade Potato Dumpling with Salsa Pomodoro baked with Buffalo Mozzarella), Panzerotti di zucca con Salsa Burro E salvia (Homemade Pumpkin Ravioli with Butter and Sage sauce), Ossobucco e Polenta (12 hours slow cooked veal shank served with traditional ‘polenta’ with a touch of gremolata) and his all time favourite, Tonno Appena Scottato Melanzane Cionfotta (Seared Tuna served with Sweet & Sour Eggplant).

When not in the kitchen, Vincenzo unwinds to jazz music and plans for his next travel. He also loves discovering local cuisines and his favourite so far is Bak Kut Teh (literally translates as meat and bone tea, which is a dish of stewed pork ribs with herbal soup). 

Prego is an award winning authentic Italian restaurant serving contemporary Italian fare in a fun and warm environment, it’s all about indulging in the la dolce vita life, with great Italian cuisines and fanfare to match! Set against Kuala Lumpur’s awe-inspiring skyline, it overlooks Jalan Bukit Bintang, a sight especially at night. It also features a show kitchen where you can watch the lively team of fun–loving chef’s showcase their culinary talents.